Session objective



Unit III: Last unit!


Conservation in an era of global change


How do we define conservation priorities (today)?


What are the challenges to conservation in the era of global change (Wednesday)?


To Start: Conservation is a broad term

What is the grand conservation challenge?



  • Preserve biological diversity
    • from genetic diversity to species diversity to functional diversity to ecosystem diversity
    • across spatial scales from local to global…
    • across time scales from now to the imaginable future…

What is the grand conservation challenge?



  • Preserve biological diversity
    • from genetic diversity to species diversity to functional diversity to ecosystem diversity
    • across spatial scales from local to global…
    • across time scales from now to the imaginable future…
    • amidst uncertainty, in a world that will continue to change

What is the grand conservation challenge?



  • Preserve biological diversity
    • from genetic diversity to species diversity to functional diversity to ecosystem diversity
    • across spatial scales from local to global…
    • across time scales from now to the imaginable future…
    • amidst uncertainty, in a world that will continue to change
    • with finite resources

Defining priorities for conservation



What types of species or ecosystems should be highest priority?


We have millions and millions of species on the planet interacting in complex ecological networks


How should we decide where to put our conservation dollar?

Defining priorities for conservation

What types of species or ecosystems should be highest priority?

  • Keystone species?
  • Umbrella species?
  • Rare species?
  • Strong ecological interactors?

  • Species under most stress?
  • Species most likely to persist?
  • Species with economic value to humans?
  • Species with cultural significance?
  • Species with stakeholder interest?
  • Indicator species?
  • Charismatic species?
  • Old species?
  • Young species?

Say we decide to prioritize my favorite species

Of the ~6,500 known amphibians more than 1/3 are threatened with extinction (IUCN Red List)




Which should we prioritize?

Say we decide to prioritize my favorite species

Several tracktable interventions but each is costly…

Say we decide to prioritize a favorite species

Should we give more conservation attention to the more susceptible (they need our help) or the more resistant (they might actually survive) populations?

Alternate strategies

Many tractable interventions, but most very costly





  • Captive breeding
  • Antifungal treatments
  • Probiotic treatments
  • Addressing other threats
  • Legislation

Defining priorities for conservation

So…first step in conservation planning is to explicitly define conservation priorities


There are some explicit and data-driven ways to do this, for example…

Defining priorities for conservation

Example: reserve selection algorithms: computer algorithms that apply biodiversity optimization rules



Example optimization rules:

  • Complementarity: add areas that contribute most new biodiversity
  • Irreplaceability: add areas with unique species or attributes
  • Bang for buck: add areas which maximize environmental benefit while minimizing economic costs

Defining priorities for conservation

Example: The Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered Initiative Zoological Society of London


Uses data from phylogenetic trees to give species a “phylogenetic uniqueness” ranking


Then adds a weight to this score based on IUCN red list risk of extinction.**

Defining priorities for conservation


Once conservation targets are selected, what are key management approaches?


  • Fine filter: focus on protecting populations or species
    • reducing overharvest
    • captive breeding
    • translocations


  • Coarse filter: focus on protecting ecosystems or landscapes
    • creating reserves
    • re-establishing corridors
    • re-establishing natural disturbance regimes
    • enhancing habitat in high modified settings

Flexibilities and complexities


Flexible levels of access: Corridors and reserves can be static or flexible (e.g., dynamic rules to reduce detrimental synergies).




For example, like closing dive tourism in coral reefs during heavy storm seasons

Flexibilities and complexities


There have been some captive breeding “success stories”

Flexibilities and complexities


There have been some captive breeding “success stories” and other high profile attempts

Flexibilities and complexities


There have been some captive breeding “success stories” and other high profile attempts
You are less likely though to hear about captive breeding failures, even though they constitute the majority of them

Flexibilities and complexities


There have been some captive breeding “success stories” and other high profile attempts… but only effective when coupled with efforts to reduce threats

Flexibilities and complexities


Adaptive management: Learning-by-doing

Flexibilities and complexities


The law of unintended consequences (aka hubris): “intervention in a complex system tends to create unanticipated and often undesirable outcomes”





And complex systems include humans!

Should we micromanage nature?

Many projects kill plant/animal species based on the mistaken assumption that another plant or animal will benefit













Nature Conservancy decimated the population of rare Arctic grayling fish in Montana by damming the streams to create ponds for the benefit of the equally rare trumpeter swan

Grayling spawned in those streams and the population plummeted when the streams were dammed

Scientists are trying to compensate for the damage to the grayling population by killing cutthroat trout that is considered a predator